diff --git a/include/secp256k1.h b/include/secp256k1.h
index 3a75b05000c3e..325f35eb0488b 100644
--- a/include/secp256k1.h
+++ b/include/secp256k1.h
@@ -145,21 +145,28 @@ typedef int (*secp256k1_nonce_function)(
 # define SECP256K1_NO_BUILD
 #endif
 
-/** At secp256k1 build-time DLL_EXPORT is defined when building objects destined
- *  for a shared library, but not for those intended for static libraries.
- */
-
-#ifndef SECP256K1_API
-# if defined(_WIN32)
-#  if defined(SECP256K1_BUILD) && defined(DLL_EXPORT)
-#   define SECP256K1_API __declspec(dllexport)
-#  else
-#   define SECP256K1_API
+/* Symbol visibility. See libtool manual, section "Windows DLLs". */
+#if defined(_WIN32) && !defined(__GNUC__)
+# ifdef SECP256K1_BUILD
+#  ifdef DLL_EXPORT
+#   define SECP256K1_API            __declspec (dllexport)
+#   define SECP256K1_API_VAR extern __declspec (dllexport)
 #  endif
-# elif defined(__GNUC__) && (__GNUC__ >= 4) && defined(SECP256K1_BUILD)
-#  define SECP256K1_API __attribute__ ((visibility ("default")))
+# elif defined _MSC_VER
+#  define SECP256K1_API
+#  define SECP256K1_API_VAR  extern __declspec (dllimport)
+# elif defined DLL_EXPORT
+#  define SECP256K1_API             __declspec (dllimport)
+#  define SECP256K1_API_VAR  extern __declspec (dllimport)
+# endif
+#endif
+#ifndef SECP256K1_API
+# if defined(__GNUC__) && (__GNUC__ >= 4) && defined(SECP256K1_BUILD)
+#  define SECP256K1_API             __attribute__ ((visibility ("default")))
+#  define SECP256K1_API_VAR  extern __attribute__ ((visibility ("default")))
 # else
 #  define SECP256K1_API
+#  define SECP256K1_API_VAR  extern
 # endif
 #endif
 
@@ -231,10 +238,10 @@ typedef int (*secp256k1_nonce_function)(
  *
  *  It is highly recommended to call secp256k1_selftest before using this context.
  */
-SECP256K1_API extern const secp256k1_context *secp256k1_context_static;
+SECP256K1_API_VAR const secp256k1_context *secp256k1_context_static;
 
 /** Deprecated alias for secp256k1_context_static. */
-SECP256K1_API extern const secp256k1_context *secp256k1_context_no_precomp
+SECP256K1_API_VAR const secp256k1_context *secp256k1_context_no_precomp
 SECP256K1_DEPRECATED("Use secp256k1_context_static instead");
 
 /** Perform basic self tests (to be used in conjunction with secp256k1_context_static)
@@ -631,10 +638,10 @@ SECP256K1_API int secp256k1_ecdsa_signature_normalize(
  * If a data pointer is passed, it is assumed to be a pointer to 32 bytes of
  * extra entropy.
  */
-SECP256K1_API extern const secp256k1_nonce_function secp256k1_nonce_function_rfc6979;
+SECP256K1_API_VAR const secp256k1_nonce_function secp256k1_nonce_function_rfc6979;
 
 /** A default safe nonce generation function (currently equal to secp256k1_nonce_function_rfc6979). */
-SECP256K1_API extern const secp256k1_nonce_function secp256k1_nonce_function_default;
+SECP256K1_API_VAR const secp256k1_nonce_function secp256k1_nonce_function_default;
 
 /** Create an ECDSA signature.
  *
diff --git a/include/secp256k1_ecdh.h b/include/secp256k1_ecdh.h
index c8577984b1a5e..625061b282ebf 100644
--- a/include/secp256k1_ecdh.h
+++ b/include/secp256k1_ecdh.h
@@ -27,11 +27,11 @@ typedef int (*secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function)(
 
 /** An implementation of SHA256 hash function that applies to compressed public key.
  * Populates the output parameter with 32 bytes. */
-SECP256K1_API extern const secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function_sha256;
+SECP256K1_API_VAR const secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function_sha256;
 
 /** A default ECDH hash function (currently equal to secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function_sha256).
  * Populates the output parameter with 32 bytes. */
-SECP256K1_API extern const secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function_default;
+SECP256K1_API_VAR const secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function secp256k1_ecdh_hash_function_default;
 
 /** Compute an EC Diffie-Hellman secret in constant time
  *
diff --git a/include/secp256k1_schnorrsig.h b/include/secp256k1_schnorrsig.h
index e579e1b1d834b..4cd2d982565f6 100644
--- a/include/secp256k1_schnorrsig.h
+++ b/include/secp256k1_schnorrsig.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ typedef int (*secp256k1_nonce_function_hardened)(
  *  Therefore, to create BIP-340 compliant signatures, algo must be set to
  *  "BIP0340/nonce" and algolen to 13.
  */
-SECP256K1_API extern const secp256k1_nonce_function_hardened secp256k1_nonce_function_bip340;
+SECP256K1_API_VAR const secp256k1_nonce_function_hardened secp256k1_nonce_function_bip340;
 
 /** Data structure that contains additional arguments for schnorrsig_sign_custom.
  *